Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus is 50 years old this year. Located on 77 acres in far eastern Franklin County, the hospital opened on April 17, 1972 as the first hospital in the Mount Carmel Health network, the only Catholic hospital network in the Diocese of Columbus.
Mount Carmel Health’s history dates to 1886, when the Sisters of the Holy Cross opened the original Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus. An emergency care center at that location continues to serve the people of the city’s west side.
Mount Carmel Health now consists of four hospitals – Mount Carmel East, Mount Carmel Grove City, Mount Carmel St. Ann’s and Mount Carmel New Albany – and a variety of other facilities.
The land where Mount Carmel East is located served as a farm growing food for the original hospital from 1908 until the 1960s. Expansions to Mount Carmel East occurred in 1993, 2003 and 2019. It now includes the Bruce E. Siegel Center for Health Education, a dedicated health center and maternity center, and a new patient tower and surgical suite. The 381-bed hospital is the largest hospital on Columbus’ east side.
A 50th anniversary Mass was celebrated in the hospital chapel on Wednesday, July 13, with Father Michael Lumpe, diocesan coordinator for hospital ministry and vicar for senior and infirm priests, delivering the following homily:
“It is both a joy and an honor for all of us to gather on this day when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of this hospital – five decades of bringing hope, healing and comfort to those who enter through her doors.
“On behalf of Bishop (Earl) Fernandes, I bring his greetings and blessings. Scheduling being what it is so early in his episcopacy, the bishop could not be here today for this occasion. I also bring greetings and blessings from our former bishop, Bishop (Robert) Brennan, who at one time had a chaplain ID badge for Mount Carmel.
“True story: One Sunday afternoon, Bishop Brennan called and asked if he could join with me in making patient rounds here at Mount Carmel East. So, we met here, and we split up the patient census. Since he did not yet have his ID badge, he took the green and silver areas, and I took the blue and purple areas.
“He walked into a patient room and introduced himself, saying: ‘Good afternoon. I’m Bishop Brennan, and I’m making sacramental visits to Catholic patients.’ To which the patient replied: ‘Yeah, and I’m the pope.’ So the bishop lowered his facemask, and the patient was a bit startled, and somewhat embarrassed, that indeed Bishop Brennan was in fact here to give him the sacrament of anointing of the sick. Both of them had a good laugh about the situation.
“A few years ago, I brought Bishop (Frederick) Campbell here to administer the ‘last rites’ to one of our priests who was dying. When Bishop Campbell finished giving the last rites, a nurse rushed in saying that a patient a few doors down also needed the last rites. Without skipping a beat, Bishop Campbell said, ‘Let’s go,’ and off he went to administer the last rites while I stayed with the family of the priest he had just anointed.
“Folks, back at the turn of the last century, on this very land where we celebrate Mass today, the Holy Cross Sisters began a farm here to grow fruits and vegetables and other necessities to help feed their patients at the former Mount Carmel West Hospital, the foundation of today’s Mount Carmel Health System.
“Looking around this chapel today, I believe I am the only person who can remember, as a child, when Mount Carmel East Hospital was being built in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, back in 1972. I-270 was still under construction, and the interchange at East Broad Street would not open until three years later, in 1975.
“The nearest Catholic structure to this hospital back in 1972 was St. Therese’s Shrine and Retreat Center on East Broad Street, which, at that time, was also in what we would call ‘the country.’ Back then, Hamilton Road appeared to be the edge of the city.
“The only other major facility out this way was the former Bell Labs research facility and the Western Electric manufacturing plant where telephones were being made. This huge facility would go through various owners and purposes over time, ultimately becoming the administrative offices of Mount Carmel Health and the Mount Carmel Foundation.
“But here we are, 50 years later, celebrating the anniversary of this wonderful hospital and all who have contributed to its mission and success, serving a metropolitan area and a population that has grown exponentially since 1972.
“Folks, in today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ gives thanks to God the Father in heaven for revealing to His disciples the wisdom and knowledge of God. His prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. So, one might ask: ‘What makes us ignorant and blind to the things of God our Father?’
“Certainly intellectual pride, coldness of heart and stubbornness of will – all of these can shut out God and His kingdom from our minds and hearts. Pride is, after all, the root of all vice and the strongest influence propelling each of us to sin. It first vanquishes the heart, making us cold and indifferent toward God.
“Pride also closes the mind to God’s truth and wisdom for our lives. And what is pride? It is the inordinate love of oneself at the expense of others and the exaggerated estimation of one’s own learning and importance.
“But notice how Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with childlike simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are ‘childlike’ – not childish – but childlike in the sense that they see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in the One who is greater, wiser and more trustworthy. They seek one thing – the ‘summum bonum’ or ‘greatest good’ who is God himself.
“Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart toward grace and truth. Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows Him, as God, to do all. God opposes the proud, but to the humble He showers them with grace.
“When you look at the mission and 50-year history of this wonderful hospital, constructed to bring the gift of life, health and healing, comfort and hope, we can easily see God’s grace at work, day-in and day-out, for 50 years.
“Being rooted in the Catholic faith, here at Mount Carmel, health care is seen and carried out as a ministry – a vocation to serve the needs of those who are ill and who seek hope, healing and comfort. For just as Christ came to serve, not to be served, we, too, are called to serve in imitation of Jesus Christ as His faithful disciples.
“This ministry, this vocation of service to those in need, cannot authentically take place without adopting and fully embracing the mindset of humble service in imitation of Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior and Redeemer.
“There is a familiar hymn Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service, which brings to mind the mission and ministry and work of all here at Mount Carmel East Hospital – one of dedicated, humble service to all who come here for hope and healing.
“The greatest asset of this hospital is her people – trained, yes, in their varied professions – but endowed, first, with the variety of gifts, talents and abilities by God our Father, each called to participate in one way or another, in one form or another, in imitating Jesus Christ in service to others in this hospital setting.
“Let us not forget the scores of men and women who have received their training here – doctors, nurses and so many others in their various fields, along with seminarians from the Pontifical College Josephinum who, as future priests, come here for pastoral ministry training to learn and experience how to minister to men and women in the hospital setting.
“The first and fourth verses of this hymn are as follows:
“Lord, whose love in humble service
bore the weight of human need,
Who upon the cross, forsaken,
worked Your mercy’s perfect deed:
we, Your servants, bring the worship
not of voice alone, but heart;
consecrating to Your purpose
ev’ry gift which You impart.
“Called from worship into service
Forth in Your great name we go,
To the child, the youth, the aged,
Love in living deeds to show;
Hope and health, good will and comfort,
Counsel, aid, and peace we give
That Your children, Lord, in freedom,
May Your mercy know and live.
“Today let us remember and pray for those who dedicated their lives in humble service on this hospital campus during the last 50 years – both medical professionals and non-medical professionals alike, including an army of dedicated volunteers. And may we pray today, also, for the men and women who continue to build upon the foundational work and ministry of this hospital and who are dedicated to providing the best in patient-centered care, following in the servant footsteps of Jesus Christ.
“Let us also pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all who have come here as patients since her doors first opened, along with their family members, friends and caregivers who provided them with prayer and support.
“And today, especially, may we turn in prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In just a few days, on July 16, we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. On July 16, 1886, the original Hawkes Hospital of Mount Carmel was dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; that hospital would be later known as Mount Carmel West.
“Through her intercession, may the mission and ministry of Mount Carmel East Hospital continue for another 50 years, and certainly beyond, and may she watch over and protect every patient who comes here for hope, healing and comfort, and all of the Mount Carmel team members who provide these and more through their work and ministry both in the hospital setting and through the vast program of community outreach.
“O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist us in this necessity. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
“Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
“Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.
“Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us.
“Amen.”
